Illegal Food Imports

Mr. Breed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many non-statutory inspections were carried out for illegal food imports in each of the last 10 years, broken down by category. [78615]

Mr. Morley:
Control of imports of products of animal origin is the responsibility of Local/Port Health Authorities. Information on the number of inspections carried out is not held centrally. During the course of checks for other products (including drugs and money), illegal food imports may also be found. Since 1 April 2001, 3899 seizures of animal products have been reported to Defra).

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will support the European Commission's proposal that financial assistance should be given to farmers to help them adopt higher animal welfare systems. [77687]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 30 October 2002]: As a European leader in the animal welfare field, the UK supports the principle of encouraging adoption of higher welfare standards through financial assistance. However, we will need to be careful that any system adopted is workable and fair, and that it is compatible with World Trade Organisation rules.

Norman Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will support the European Commission's proposal to link the payment of Common Agricultural Policy subsidies to farmers with their compliance with animal welfare laws; and if she will make a statement. [77688]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 30 October 2002]: The Government supports the principle of the European Commission's proposal to decouple support from production and create a single income payment linked to compliance with animal welfare, environment and food and occupational safety standards. There has only been limited discussion on this aspect of the proposals so far and more clarification is needed, as the details will be important to the effectiveness of this proposal.

Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the welfare of milking cows. [80040]

Mr. Morley:
There is legislation in place to protect the welfare of dairy cows. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 sets down general welfare requirements for all farmed animals, including some detailed requirements for cattle. There is also a specific welfare code on cattle. This is currently being updated and the revised code will include a separate section devoted to the welfare of dairy cattle.

Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) live sheep and (b) live pigs have been exported from

7 Nov 2002 : Column 564W

the United Kingdom to date in 2002 for (i) slaughter, (ii) further fattening and (iii) breeding; and how many (A) sheep and (B) pigs in each of these categories were exported to each individual country of destination. [77508]

Mr. Morley:
The total number of live sheep and live pigs certified for export from the United Kingdom between 1 January 2002 and 1 November 2002 for slaughter, fattening and breeding are shown in the following tables.

Live Sheep

Country of destination

Slaughter

Fattening

Breeding

Austria

0

0

22

Belgium

0

0

4

France

49,476

3,040

158

Germany

4,129

0

5

Isle of Man

0

0

11

Italy

29,244

0

0

Netherlands

456

0

55

Republic of Ireland

166,865

385

92

Totals

250,170

3,425

347

Live Pigs

Country of destination

Slaughter

Fattening

Breeding

Belgium

0

0

3,888

Denmark

0

0

47

France

0

0

47

Germany

0

0

3,628

Greece

0

0

171

Isle of Man

0

0

71

Italy

0

0

1,194

Netherlands

0

0

9,038

Philippines

0

0

75

Poland

0

0

701

Spain

0

0

1,607

Republic of Ireland

20,951

0

22

Totals

20,951

0

20,489

Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on (a) 17 October, (b) 18 October, (c) 20 October and (d) 24 October; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (i) during inspection for health certification purposes and (ii) at Dover docks, and to where those sheep were taken; and what the address was of the final destination on the route plan for each of the consignments; [78620]

(2) how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on the (a) Alda-K, and (b) Caroline to Continental Europe on the 29 October; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (i) during inspection for health certification purposes and (ii) at Dover docks, and to where those sheep were taken; and what the address was of the final destination on the route plan for each of the consignments. [79005]

Mr. Morley:
The information requested is as follows:

7 Nov 2002 : Column 565W

Date

Total animals

Where consignments
were certified

Animals rejected
at certification

Animals rejected at
Dover docks

Destination

1710

3000

England, Scotland and Wales

20

0

France

1810

3575

Wales

37

0

France and Holland

2010

2675

England and Wales

80

0

Italy and France

2410

2515

England and Wales

19

0

Italy and France

2910 Alda-K

2666

England and Wales

22

0

Italy, Belgium, Germany and France

2910 Caroline

2621

England and Wales

32

0

Italy and France

The sheep for the consignments listed above were certified within 48 hours prior to export. These consignments, apart from the sailing on 17 October which were fattening animals transported to a single holding, went to approved slaughterhouses. The animals which were rejected at certification remained in Great Britain.

Home Energy Conservation Bill

Mr. Barker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representation her Department has received from local authorities (a) prior to and (b) following the withdrawal of the Home Energy Conservation Bill; and if she will list these local authorities. [77403]

Mr. Meacher:
We have received representations from Local Authorities regarding various aspects of the Home Energy Conservation Bill. They were all received prior to the Bill's withdrawal.

The following Local Authorities have expressed general support for the Bill;

Acaster Malbis Parish Council

Adlington Town Council

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Bedfordshire County Council

Berwick upon Tweed Borough Council

Bottesford Town Council

Broadland District Council

Carrickfergus Borough Council

Castle Morpeth Borough Council

Chelmsford Borough Council

Cinderford Town Council

City of Manchester

City of Sunderland Council

Clitheroe Town Council

Copeland Borough Council

Cumbria County Council

Cyngor Tref Nefyn Town Council

Derbyshire County Council

Dover District Council

Dyseth Community Council

Easington District Council

East Cambridgeshire District Council

East Hampshire District Council

East Riding Council

Ellesemere Town Council

Exeter City Council

Harmby Parish Council

Havant Borough Council

Heath Charnock Parish Council

Heighington Parish Council

Hemsworth and District Borough Council

7 Nov 2002 : Column 566W

Isle of Anglesey County Council

King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Kingston upon Thames Council

Lewes District Council

Macclesfield

Market Rasen Town Council

Newcastle City Council

North Devon District Council

Northampton Borough Council

North Lincolnshire Council

North Shropshire District Council

North West Leicestershire District Council

North Wiltshire District Council

Norwich City Council

Nottinghamshire County Council

Oswestry Rural Parish Council

Oxford City Council

Pendle Borough Council

Pentir Community Council

Penzance Town Council

Pilning and Severn Beach Parish Council

Powys County Council

Radyr and Morganstown Community Council

Rudgwick Parish Council

Sevenoaks District Council

Shropshire County Council

South Gloucestershire Council

St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

Stoke Gifford Parish Council

Stoke Holy Cross Parish Council

Swindon Borough Council

Trawsfynydd Community Council

Tynedale Council

Wellingborough Borough Council

West Lindsey District Council

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

Woking Borough Council

The following Local Authorities have expressed support for the Bill ''in principle'';

Castle Point Borough Council

Swindon Borough Council

The following Local Authorities have expressed support for the Bill, provided that extra funding is provided;

Ashford Borough Council

Bedford Borough Council

Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Bromsgrove District Council

District of Easington

Lewes District Council

London Borough of Havering

Rochford District Council

7 Nov 2002 : Column 567W

Tewkesbury Borough Council

The following local authorities have requested that statutory targets be included in the Bill;

Daventry District Council

Derbyshire County Council

Hyndburn Borough Council

Northamptonshire County Council

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Oldham Council

Oxfordshire County Council

Preston Borough Council

The following local authorities have expressed support for the clauses of the Bill that relate to Fuel Poverty;